adidas Unveils Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s “The Blueprint” Crazy 8

adidas today unveils “The Blueprint” Crazy 8, a limited edition version of the classic Crazy 8 shoe that pays homage to one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

adidas interviewed several NBA athletes including Derrick Rose, Damian Lillard and John Wall about what Kareem meant to them and the game of basketball. One response stood out above all the rest; Kareem represents “the blueprint” to greatness as a person, an athlete and as a philanthropist. The names and responses of the NBA athletes interviewed are featured on the sockliner of the shoes.

The blue-based upper is inspired by Kareem’s career at UCLA where he finished his college career with an 88-2 winning record, three NCAA championships and numerous accolades including:

Two-time Consensus Player of the Year

Three-time first-team All-American

Three-time Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA tournament The first-ever Naismith Player of the Year

The upper is constructed of a single piece of synthetic suede with stitching and molded details that highlight the simplicity of the original model. Additional details include a custom Tyvek tongue patch that displays Kareem’s iconic hook-shot and signature. Kareem’s number, 33, is stitched on the heel and toe of the shoe.

You can catch “The Blueprint” Crazy 8 on-court when Kareem’s alma-mater, UCLA, wears them in their game on Thursday, February 13 on ESPN against the University of Colorado. “The Blueprint” Crazy 8 will be available in limited quantities for $133 on February 14 at adidas.com and at adidas in The Quarter in New Orleans for NBA All-Star weekend.